The Pickle Club

Pickle News You Can Use. Join the fun!

This weekend there's an event that you're going to love. Celebrate Pickle day 2012 in the very same area that pickles got their start, the lower east side! It'll be a historically delicious event that you will be happy to be a part of. : ) There's even a Halloween costume contest. Click here for more info.

If you live anywhere near Calabasas, CA, you should check out this incredibly unique and entertaining opportunity. My friend Seth Front is a comedian who has created astrological signs based on Jewish deli food. A culinary adventure in every way! (And yes, there is of course, the YEAR OF THE PICKLE.)

And for those in NYC, his show will hit the road here in Feb. He's also available for bookings!

July 31, 2012

Hi fellow Pickle Club members!

If you've been a member with us for awhile, you may recognize this site as the original website we launched with. Due to unforseen and unfortunate circumstances with our host provider, we have lost our other website and are now back with the original. Though this situation wasn't planned, we think you will feel comfortable here nonetheless!

So feel free to scroll around and check things out. You will notice the postings are older and skip a few years, but from here forward, we will continue to post new happenings so please keep coming back! Also, for more recent updates, please join us on facebook.

Thanks! Jennifer

Pickle News

May 12, 2009

A NOTE FROM OVERSEAS

This just in...a study conducted in Britain found that the nation's favorite (or should we say, favourite) snack is a cheese and pickle sandwich. They preferred the cheese and pickle combo for lunch over a BLT. Americans might ask, "where's the beef?" However, a good ol' pastrami sandwich didn't even appear in the top 20.

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL PICKLE WEEK!

May 15th thru May 25th is an official pickle-holiday created in 1948 by the trade organization Pickle Packers International to celebrate cucumber-planting season. Here at The Pickle Club,
we're planning to attempt to plant cucumbers and tomatoes ourselves. If
you are planting vegetables this week and want to share, tell us about
it and we'll send you a free t-shirt. Email us at: info@thepickleclub.com. For the official site, please check out International Pickle Week.

Old and New Heinz Ketchup Bottles

Heinz ketchup says goodbye pickle and hello tomato

January 16, 2009

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Heinz ketchup, one of the most well-known
products gracing grocery store shelves and diner countertops, is
getting a make-over after more than 100 years.

H.J. Heinz Co is replacing the pickle on its ketchup bottles with something that is actually in the product: a tomato.

The gherkin pickle has been a fixture on Heinz ketchup labels since
the 1890s. In 1893, H.J. Heinz himself decided to hand out pickle pins
to drum up business at the Chicago World’s Fair. The pins were popular,
with people at the fair lining up to get them, the company said. So the
connection stuck.

“With all due respect to the pickle, which has served Heinz
dutifully since the 19th century, we are shifting the spotlight to the
tomato,” Chairman and CEO William Johnson said in a statement.

Heinz said consumers should start seeing the new bottles in stores
early this year and in restaurants later in 2009. The product will also
be featured in the brand’s largest marketing campaign since the 1980s.

(Reporting by Jessica Wohl, editing by Matthew Lewis)

December 21, 2008

We read this article and thought it was worth a read. A reporter from
India has so vividly captured the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. We know
you'll find this excerpt poignant because he talks about the green
chili pickle woman. However, we provided a link to the entire story
because in context, the spirit of those who not only perished, but also
survived, is even more compelling.

...."Many months ago I had watched a short cookery programme on an Indian
channel. It was just a short clip between programmes but what caught my
imagination was the joie-de-vive of the cook as she demonstrated how to
make a green chili pickle. This was no ordinary cook making an ordinary
pickle in modest quantities. This was a vivacious woman with large kohl
rimmed eyes who was mixing all sorts of fiery ingredients in the
largest kadai I have ever seen on a cookery show. She laughed and joked
in a self-deprecating manner with the hostess of the programme and her
love, for all things edible, shone in her eyes. Although I did not know
it then, this was Sabina Sehgal Saikia, The Times of India food critic
who paid the ultimate price on the 6th floor of the Taj Hotel.

Over the next two days as the
media reported about her family’s frantic search of hospitals and
morgues to trace her I came across her picture and knew she was the
’green chili pickle woman’. She was one amongst the hundreds caught up
in the dreadful events but my mind chose to focus on her image as I
prayed for all of them. I kept praying that she would come out of this
alive and return to give me one more recipe in her inimitable style.
Somehow, I felt that if I kept it simple and prayed hard enough all
would turn out well. It was not to be so for Sabina and her anxious
husband, brother and children were left to face the dreaded reality of
her joyous life snuffed out. Sabina is gone now but from the tributes
given to her by those who knew her, one comes to know of a woman who
loved life in all its hues and who spread cheer wherever she went. For
me the smile of the ’green chili pickle woman’ lives on through the
pickle I made last week from her recipe. The spice brings tears to my
eyes and the taste makes me smile through those tears."

We believe everyone has a hidden talent, and none more so than Craig Ellison, who created these beautiful handcrafted glass pickles. Craig is a professional writer by trade but in his spare time he enjoys making glass objects.

We happened to run into him one day and asked if he does commissioned work. He asked what we had in mind, and the rest is history.

What we love most about these unique objects is that they are so complimentary together and when held in one's hand, they give off a calming effect that may not necessarily be of design but says a lot about the creator and the wonderful warm energy he transfers into his work.

You can check out his multi-faceted talent since, believe it or not, he does more than just create glass pickles!

There is salt and then there is PICKLE salt. Twang Inc, is a family owned company based in San Antonio, Texas. They're probably best known for their margarita and beer salts, but they also make flavored salts, including chili-lime, lemon-lime and most relevant to our group, PICKLE SALT. So if you're looking for an ingredient to make you pucker when you eat your burgers, hot dogs and chips, this just might be the right product for you!SOUR FACE CONTEST!By the way, we're giving away PUCKER PRIZES. All you have to do is put on your best SOUR FACE, take a picture and email us the photo. If we post it, you'll receive a lovely t-shirt from The Pickle Club and samples of Twang's pickle salt! info@thepickleclub.com.

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Dan Maccarone, an actor and website consultant from New York City, has won...FREE PICKLES FOR A YEAR! TPC randomly chose one lucky member to win this grandest of prizes, enough to make anyone who didn't win, green with envy. We couldn't be happier for him.

Meanwhile, read below to find out more about him. You can also check out his comedy troupe's website, www.slightlyknownpeople.com. They perform in NYC, every Saturday at 8pm, cover $5. RiFiFi, 332 East 11th Street, Between First and Second Aves

Dan Maccarone

TPC: What's the story behind the chips and guac photo?

DAN: My wife took it. I thought it might be sort of dweeby but it was the most recent photo I had.

TPC: What was your reaction when you found out about winning free pickles for a year?

DAN: Estactic. I didn't even know there was a contest.

TPC: (Hmm. Guess we need to work on our marketing.) On an upwards scale of 1-10, how crazy are you for pickles?

DAN: Nine. I eat them with sandwiches, maybe four a week.

TPC: What's your favorite brand and type?

DAN: I'm not a brand guy. The type of pickle I like is garlicy, dill and sour. I also like spicy.

TPC: Do your friends know about your passion for pickles?

DAN: They're slowly learning.

TPC: Are you afraid that you might come off as a crazy pickle person?

DAN: There are plenty of worse things so a crazy pickle person isn't so bad.

Denver, COSpicy Pickle Sub Shop

September 19, 2007On a visit to Colorado, we stumbled upon a deli called Spicy PickleSub Shop. But the name is not just a clever marketing gimmick. They actually have Spicy Pickles! They are yummy and apparently an original recipe. The location at 988 Lincoln lays claim as the very first deli but this franchise has expanded to 27 stores in seven states.

Rocky Mountain Potato ChipsDill Pickle Flavor (yum!)

Ahh, nothing like the Rocky Mountains...fresh air, beautiful scenery and, of course potato chips! If you haven't tasted dill pickle flavored potato chips yet, this is definitely a finger licking, lip smacking, pickle puckering experience. The pickle flavored chips probably made their debut over a decade but TPC hasn't seen them sold in probably over a decade so we were delightfully surprised to find them in a local store in Denver. Check out this site if you're interested in The Extra Thick n' Crunchy Dill Flavored Potato Chip.

New York, NYThe 7th Annual International Pickle Day

September 16, 2007Oh what a day, what a busy day for
pickle lovers. An estimated 50,000 people flocked to the historic Lower
East Side to get their fix of pickled veggies, including cucumbers,
turnips, and onions. Kimchi and mango chutney were also
integral ingredients for a successful and yummy festival. One of the
sponsors of this much anticipated event was the NY Food Museum.
They have helped preserve the 100 year old pickle history on the Lower
East Side by enlightening individuals to the sweet and sour stories of Jewish immigrants. Their
website is definitely worth checking out. In our humble opinion, it is
probably the most comprehensive website about the history of pickles
and the pickling process.

Of course, the Pickle Club attended this much beloved festival. We mingled with the masses and even managed to put our very own stickers on some of the participants.

If
you're a PICKLE LOVER and an ATHLETE, why not replenish your
electrolytes with... pickle juice? Seriously. Perspiration was the
inspiration for Brandon Brooks who is the founder and president of Pickle Juice Sport.
According to Brandon, his sport drink has three-fourths less the sodium
than regular pickle juice and has only seven calories.

Brandon's
idea for a pickle juice sport drink was reinforced during an NFL game
between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys in 2000. The Texas
heat hit a high of 120 degrees. It was a brutal game. But the Eagles
won, and the commentators attributed their win to pickle juice. Woohoo.
PICKLE JUICE POWER! So, a tale of pickle lore? That's for you to decide
but the Dallas Cowboys now endorse this unique drink. (Hmm...Not sure why the Eagles don't, Brandon?)

Ironically, Brandon himself isn't a big fan of pickles, nor of dill flavoring but
as an athlete that runs 10 miles a day, he says it's the only drink
that works on his debilitating muscle cramps. Now, that's an endorsement!

Brandon Brooks & Jason Whitten

PROFILE OF A PICKLE CLUB MEMBER

Sophi Gullbrants

The Pickle Club is pleased to announce SOPHI GULLBRANTS, an 11 year-old 6th grader from Virginia, is The Pickle Club member of the month.

TPC: How does it feel to be the first-ever pickle club member of the month?

A winner has been randomly selected from all of our members. Once we get in touch with the person, we reveal his or her name. Thank you all for participating. And please stay tuned to learn more about this lucky individual.

WHO MAKES YOUR FAVORITE PICKLE?

We asked YOU to tell us who makes your favorite pickle. Well, below are the results of the runner ups:

Believe it or not, the majority of those who voted said their HOMEMADE pickles were their favorite.

Could this be YOU?

MEMBER OF THE MONTH!

Do you know someone who should be nominated for ThePickle Club Member of the Month? We're always on the look out for nominations!

Send us an email telling us why this person deserves the title. info@thepickleclub.comIf your person is chosen, you both will receive a special prize from The Pickle Club.You can even nominate yourself!Look forward to hearing from you.

Pickle-tainment

Calling all ARTISTS (both professional and non-professional)!!!

We would love it if you would send us your PICKLE-related artwork, photos, videos, poems etc.
Think of this as a calling card to show off your talent(s). We'll add a link to your site so people can see your work.
Please contact us should you need more info:

info@thepickleclub.com

A SONG FOR THE PICKLE CLUB

CLICK LOGO TO HEAR SONG

This song was composed especially forThe
Pickle Club by Amelia Robinson, a New York city based musician.
We're always on the lookout for unique gift ideas so we'd highly
recommend hiring her if you're looking for something special. She
can write songs for any occasion, on any subject. (Yes, even for a club
about pickles!) givemusicnyc.com

PICKLE LAPEL PIN

PIN YOUR PICKLE LOVER

August 1, 2007What do you buy someone who has everything? A pickle lapel pin, silly. It's the perfect way to say you care. This small, cute, inexpensive pickle lapel pin makes a big statement for anyone who wears it. A gift like this will surely bring a smile to any pickle lovers face.Pickle Lapel Pin

FROZEN PICKLE JUICE. Yum!

July 20, 2007We're
in the heat of summer so how do you stay as cool as a cucumber? Ever heard of
frozen pickle juice? Yes, believe it or not, we thought making frozen pickle juice would be a fun July experiment. We
wanted to freeze pickle juice from different pickle brands and do a
taste test. But before we had a chance, we were contacted by a Texas
company called Pickle Sickle. And guess what? They freeze pickle juice!
Yes, as crazy and wonderful as it sounds, it's absolutely true. Read more about them, Pickle Sickles

HARRY POTTER AND PICKLES??????

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

July 20, 2007We're pretty sure that whether you read Harry Potter books or not, you probably know that the seventh and last book is going on sale tomorrow. What you may not know is that there is a connection between Harry Potter and pickles. According to a Harry Potter Lexicon, there is an inventor named Bertie Botts (1935 - present)

Botts likes to make candy from food. While experimenting with unique (and frankly, disgusting) new flavors, a sock serendipitously fell into his brew. Now, his claim to fame is Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. These unique flavors include, ear wax, booger, black pepper, vomit, dirt soap, rotten egg and earth worm. However, his newest additions are sausage and you guessed it, PICKLE!

July 2007
There are fireworks happening in more than just the sky. You
might get a bang out of this story about a prickly pickle situation
happening on the famous lower east side of New York city. Read
the story and check out the video. It's a page right out of pickle
lore. If you have an opinion about this, we would love to hear
from you!

For those who don't already know, Brinaphobia is apparently an actual term for people who have a fear of pickles. In our research, we even came across a brinophobiacs web page. In our correspondence with the author, he told TPC that he was a child when he first realized that he had a genuine fear of pickles. He said he even feared pickles contained in a jar. Supposedly this fear of the green thing, affects about 1 in 2 million people. Thankfully, he's much better now.

TPC is still trying to figure out where the term originated from. For those of us who love pickles, this is a definitely a difficult affliction to understand. Maury Povich even had a guest on to talk about it. FEAR OF PICKLES

Mystic, CT

June 5, 2007Does Mystic, CT sound familar? Most Julia Roberts fan know that it's where the movie, "Mystic Pizza," was filmed. This weekend TPC visited the Mystic Seaport. Surrounded by the nautical environment, we were reminded that there is actually a term called "pickle boat." Unfortunately, we couldn't recall exactly what it meant so of course we immediately looked it up upon our return home. For those who didn't know, the term has an interesting history. Here is the entry found in About.com:

""Pickle boat" is a term that means "last boat over the line," in a sailing race (notablyBayview Yacht Club'sannual Port Huron to Mackinac race). The term is said to originate from fishing fleets because the "pickling" boat was always the last to make it into port. "

So there it is. It could just be that I love pickles, but personally, I would rather be in the "pickle boat" than cross the finish line first.

The Pickle-Perfect Gift!

June 1, 2007My sister gave TPC a wonderful present. She made a pre-made
pickle mix from a recipe she had tried and liked. She added all the
required ingredients and packed it into a plastic bag with a label on
it with directions on how to make it. She even thought of a
special name, "Jinkers." Jinkers was how her sister-in-law
pronounced gherkin when she was a child.
Best of all, since these pickles are considered "quick pickles," they
didn't require all the preparation that you would need to do if you
were packaging pickles commercially. In addition to the package,
all I needed to do was add the cucumbers, vinegar and onion or
garlic. It was simple and satisfying. Most importantly, it
was a thoughtful gift that really meant a lot!

Here at The Pickle Club, we love to learn facts about anything pickle
related. Lynn Williams of Mount Olive Pickle company has shared
something very interesting about the history of this dill-i-cious holiday
celebration. Lynn told us that this holiday has been celebrated since 1948, and was
started by Pickle Packers International - the pickle industry's trade
association. She said the industry back then was made up of lots of
small regional pickle companies who saw the benefit in working
together. "Pickle sales spiked around the Fourth of July, and so they
launched pickle week to incorporate Memorial Day Weekend. The idea was
to make more of the summer cook out season and push pickle sales. It
actually worked." (whew, thank goodness!) And as we head into Memorial Day
Weekend, let's reflect on the contribution of America's war vets and eat a pickle in their honor.

Does anyone else know of any other pickle-related activities? If so, please let us know so that we can get the word out!

KOOL-AIDPICKLES????

Did anyone see the article on May 9, 2007 in the New York Times about
Kool-aid pickles? For those of us in the pickle world, it was a
fascinating article about a place in the south that makes bright pink
pickles from kool-aid! If you would like to read the article,
you'll have to purchase it directly from NY Times: A Sweet So
Sour: Kool-Aid Dills By JOHN T. EDGE. However, one of
our very own members has tried to make the recipe herself. Here's Chandra Nosey's update:

"The kool-aid pickles got mixed reviews. Going by the vague recipe in
that article, I added 2 packets of kool-aid and 2 cups of sugar to the
brine in a gallon pickle jar. I then quartered or halved all the
pickles and put them back in the kool-aid mix. After a long week of
waiting, a few friends came over to sample the results. The pickles are
very sweet and seem saltier than before I added the kool-aid. No one
really loved them, and I still have mixed feelings. I want to play
around with the recipe (replacing brine kool-aid with plain water
kool-aid, different types of pickles, etc), but I have to work my way
through a gallon jar of kool-aid pickles first!"

If you'd like to be part of this discussion, become a member and you
can add your own comments to this on-going process of finding the right
combination of ingredients.

New York, NY

Heritage Festival

May 6, 2007
The Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival in New York City is all about the celebration of
Asian Pacific Culture and expression. Because The Pickle Club
believes that pickles play an integral role in the history of this
culture, we decided to participate in the celebrations.
Throughout the day we met and mingled with hundreds of people who
wanted to know what role pickles play in the Asian culture. It
was definitely an exciting day for us as we discussed the evolution of
the pickling process. We also managed to add a few new members to our club in the process.

Mount Olive, NC

North Carolina Pickle Festival

THE PICKLE CLUB.com Launches!!

April 28, 2007
We spent last weekend in Mount Olive for the 21st
Annual North Carolina Pickle Festival. Mount Olive may sound familiar to many of
you because it shares the same names as the largest privately owned and operated pickle company founded
there in 1926. As a matter of fact, the founder himself, John
Neal Walker, stopped by The Pickle Club booth to say hello. He's
definitely a celebrity in this town that really seems to love Mount
Olive pickles. We thank everyone for making our launch so fun and successful!

Petaluma, CA

March 2007
On a trip to California, we spotted a place that looked like
the perfect place for lunch - Mr Pickle's Sandwich Shop in Petaluma. We were
not disappointed. The service was friendly and the sandwich was
yummy. Our cashier was none other than the owner himself, Paul
Gawronski. He told us that he only owns this branch but that
there are many other stores around the US. If you're ever in the
area, stop by and say hello, 3100 Lakeville Highway, McDowell,
Petaluma, CA.